


I'll Make This Feel Like Home

by rainbowslovehl (Larrymateforlife)



Series: Come As You Are (Home) [2]
Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Vampire, Fluff, Human Harry, M/M, Vampire Louis, its basically all fluff and i think i went a little overboard with it, just felt the need to add that, louis in harry's lavender sweater
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-29
Updated: 2016-12-08
Packaged: 2018-09-03 03:00:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 14,353
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8693791
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Larrymateforlife/pseuds/rainbowslovehl
Summary: Harry woke up a little disoriented, head pounding and ears ringing with the sunlight bright against his eyes. He squeezed them shut, but it did little help as spots danced in front his closed eyelids. He felt the contents of his stomach rise up and he knew he would be ditsy if he were standing. Why did he ever drink? 
Harry rewound back his memory a little. He wasn’t all that drunk last night but he got bad hangovers anyway. He remembered getting out of his shift dressed as a vampire, solemnly swearing to himself that he wouldn’t drink. Then why did he do so?  Basically this is the next morning.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So i wasn't planning on writing this but then i thought it was only fair to write about the next day when i left the previous one as open ended. This is just fluff, nothing more.  
> This for my friend and beta Isabella. Dolan and Ammu thanks for bearing with me and cheering me and Sofia for being my source of positivity.  
> I hope you all like it :)

Harry woke up groggy and a little disoriented, head pounding and ears ringing with the sunlight bright against his eyes. He squeezed them shut, but it did little help as spots danced in front his closed eyelids. He felt the contents of his stomach rise up and he knew he would be ditsy if he were standing. Why did he ever drink?

Harry rewound back his memory a little. He wasn’t all that drunk last night but he got bad hangovers anyway. He remembered getting out of his shift dressed as a vampire, solemnly swearing to himself that he wouldn’t drink. Then why did he do so?

It took a minute but everything back to him. The pounding in his head took the backseat as Harry’s thoughts raced back to last night. See, if he weren’t nursing a hangover, he’d have sat up and contemplate the meaning of life, that's how shocked he was. But since he didn’t want to get up, he’d rather lay back and contemplate the meaning of life. More accurately, last night. Was it even real?

He was convinced everything that had happened last night was straight out of a dream. Surely he didn’t meet a beautiful man in a vampire costume who agreed to come to a party with him. Surely he didn’t try to drunkenly chat him up and fail. Surely he didn’t have the man confess to him that he really was a vampire. Surely he didn’t get a date with the said vampire.

So surely the night didn’t happen.

Nope. Not at all.

Harry knew that the night had happened, in his heart. Yet he found himself unwilling to open his eyes, least it were a dream that would break and fade once exposed to reality and he’d have to face his very lonely, loveless life. He wanted to savour the memory of the man, the twinkle of his eyes which was still fresh in his mind. He was really unreal and breathtaking.

So Harry pulled his blanket over his head and let the darkness engulf him as he fought the rays of sunshine and pulled back the essence of sleep. He tried his hardest to fall back to sleep and delve back into his assumed dream. But the memory of the flawless beauty – Louis, the royal name of his was – didn’t fade. It just brightened and glowed, like the sun did outside. Ironic since he was a vampire right? Harry almost snorted at that.

Harry’s struggle against conscious lasted for all of five minutes since he was reminded once again of the ache in his head. Damn hangovers. He pulled down the blanket and felt the light back on him. And as he opened his eyes, bidding farewell to his dream, he was assaulted with the dreaded sunrays.

“Too damn bright,” Harry muttered under his breath, one hand coming up to cover his eyes as the other massaged his forehead. Honestly, today was not his day.

He buried himself back in the covers, willing sleep to encompass him again, wanting to see Louis. And according to his hangover-nursing brain, Louis would be found only in his dreams.

Harry imagined a light chuckle in the room. He ignored it, groaning in protest to his head.

“So are you ever going to wake up?” he heard, amused laced and fondness dripping out of the tone. And the voice reminded Harry of sunshine and stars which was such a contrast. It set in a second later that a stranger was in the room. It set in another second later that he recognised the voice. It was the voice that was floating in his dreams, no, reality. He had heard that very voice last night. It was...

“Louis!” he called out rather than ask. He was sure it was Louis in the room, somewhere in the now silent room. Only now could Harry feel the presence of the vampire in the room. Everything was quiet for a minute where Harry almost convinced himself that he had imagine the voice and the laughter. But he heard laughter once again just then. This time a light giggle – like tinkering bells and sweet to his ears. “Is that you?”

“Who else, silly?” came the reply. More like a counter question but still. His voice seemed to be from far away, where exactly in the room Harry couldn’t point out but he did long to see him. His heart was calling out for him and it beat in a rhythm which went Louislouislouis... okay he was exaggerating but he wasn’t exactly alright right now, okay.

As if granting his inner wish, Louis suddenly appeared at the edge of his bed. He perched on the edge, a playful smirk dancing on his lips while still wearing the clothes from last night. Now that Harry was seeing him a new light, literally as well, he wondered why he ever thought he was in a vampire costume. His coat was dusty and old, but it was just a coat. His face did look pale in the sun as well... but wait didn’t sunlight harm vampires? Harry took a long look at his face, not that he wasn’t doing it anyway but nope the sunlight hadn’t caused anything to him. So apparently that was a myth? Anyway.

“You alright?” Louis asked, tilting his head to a side with a soft smile. Harry realised he hadn’t spoken at all for a while. But he hadn’t finished observing Louis either, so his hazy brain decided to continue staring at Louis. He could see a twinkle in Louis’s warm blue eyes. He could see that they had a red ting to them along with purple bruises below his eyes. It had taken Harry so long to get the perfect shade but Louis had it naturally and somehow it made him jealous. How was he so perfect? As on cue, he let a deep sigh. “Harry? Earth to Harry?”

Harry observed the sunlight reflecting in Louis’s eyes. Seriously sunlight didn’t harm vampires?

“Of course it does, but only direct sunlight,” Louis answered. And apparently Harry had voiced his question out loud. Damn it.

Because he didn’t know what to say next, Harry’s befuddled and mortified mind decided shutting his eyes again and burrowing himself in the covers while he reminisced last night was a good idea. He had ended his evening shift at the bakery and was on his way to Niall’s party. Barbara, his boss, was kind enough to let him wear his costume to work... well actually she was wearing a costume herself, being in the Halloween spirit and all. It had been a pretty fun day. It was pretty dark and he was actually late. He was determined to reach as early as he could, Niall had been pretty insistent about that, when something caught his attention. It was a swish of a dark coat in the shadows, which would usually freak him but only this time it didn’t.

He could make out a shape. Peering closer, he could see that it was a man leaning against the wall, face half hidden in the shadows. He could only see what seemed like the light of a burning cigarette. And the social worker in Harry flicker to life.

Now see, his sister had repeatedly warned him against going up to strangers and talking about the bad effects of smoking. Time and again, she had. But Harry had never listen. That is how he found himself being led forward by his feet up to the man, hand poised above his shoulder. He had debated. The possibility was that he’d be yelled at but that was a risk he could take. Right?

So he had walked up to the man and tapped him on his shoulder. When he had turned, Harry thought he was about to faint. Because standing in front of him was the most beautiful man he had seen.

Sure he didn’t let that information stay on his face, babbling on about his usual warning routine and most likely ruining all the chances he had with him. He was about to pull up the statistics and harmful effects in detail when he stopped himself. He would’ve weirded out the guy and not for the first time. He had experience with this.

It was later on that Harry had noticed that he was wearing a vampire outfit and had stupidly and impulsively invited him over to Niall’s party. Okay it wasn’t stupid; it was highly embarrassing that he had done that. But he didn’t regret it. Niall was being a pain but he backed off eventually and thank god for that. He wouldn’t want him to grill Louis about anything. As he had tried to drink his weight in alcohol, he had also tried his best to seduce Louis. Of course his first attempt failed but luckily Louis didn’t run off for the hills like Harry expected him to. Instead he was kind enough to drop him home. And then he revealed his big secret.

Louis wasn’t just dressed up in a vampire costume. He was a vampire. It should’ve been shocking and he should’ve been freaked... but he wasn’t. It answered some questions in his head. Like the question of how he was so gorgeous. It was because he was a fantasy person. Of course he wasn’t human. It didn’t faze him much but he sure was tempted to take him on a date so he asked it anyway. And the night ended with Louis agreeing to meet him the next morning.

So the conclusion was that vampires kept their promise. Or it was just Louis who did.

But the problem was that he was here and Harry seemed to have lost all his social skills. And he was really repelling Louis wasn’t he? Shit! He was so unprepared for this.

Harry slowly peeked out from under his covers, careful to keep his lower region covered because he was half-naked after all. Not that Harry minded it, he was quite the nudist, but then he didn’t want to scare Louis off. He wasn’t a weirdo. Okay who was he kidding; he is going to scare him off. Him, a human would scare a vampire off. That would happen when it’s Harry. Right?

Only his insecure thoughts seemed to vanish when Harry’s eyes found Louis’s ocean blue sparkling eyes that seemed to wash them away. See what he did there? His lousy attempt for a pun. Harry was coming back to normal. It was good right? It was, surely was.

“Hi,” Harry whispered, voice hoarse and mouth dry. His attempt at a smile fell flat because he was that nervous. But what could he do when Louis was so close and Harry was so blown away by the fact that he was here. Speaking of, how did he get in?

“How did you get in?”

Harry didn’t realise he had said it until he had said it and wondered who spoke it. His cheeks turned pink, and as he noticed, so did Louis’s. How did it though? Weren’t vampires supposed to have no blood in their body? Or was that a myth too?

“Not a myth,” Louis corrected and Harry’s cheeks turned redder. What was him and speaking out his thoughts this morning? This was mortifying. The only thing that kept him from ducking back in the blankets was the fact that Louis looked just as mortified as he did. At least he wasn’t alone. Harry waited for the explanation for the blushing but it never came so Harry filed it away for later asking. A moment passed before Louis spoke up again, a little hesitant. “And I got in through the window?”

“Through the window?” Harry exclaimed and his voice came out sounding like that of a dying animal. If he weren’t surprised, he’d be mortified. But then he was already both so.

“Yeah.” Louis gave him a sheepish smile, purposefully not looking at Harry. His skin had gone back to pale and Harry assumed it was because he was a vampire and not because he had gotten over his embarrassment. “I didn’t know where you lived so I followed your scent and climbed up the window and... that's creepy isn’t it? I’ll climb back out.”

Louis made moves to go to the window again when Harry started laughing. His throat was still sore and protesting while his head held a painful, steady beat but he couldn’t stop the laughter. It was adorable, was what it is. Sure it was, in a way, creepy but Louis’s reaction to it was adorable. He was rambling away and usually it is Harry’s job. When Harry finally calmed down, he found Louis looking at him with a soft smile while still being frozen.

Harry returned the smile. “You’re cute.”

“Shut up,” Louis grumbled, the earlier expression melting away to something which resembled ‘frazzled and endeared’. Harry let his smile widen and saw the corners of Louis’s lip twitch as well, like he was repressing his own. “I’m not cute. Also, I didn’t know of any other way to get it. Not like you told me which flat was yours.”

“Oh.” Harry felt a little guilty. In his giddy daze, he had forgotten to tell Louis where he lived.

Louis saw the disappointment on his face and hurried to reassure. “I mean it’s not like I asked, right?”

Louis smiled and Harry smiled back. It was all so placid that Harry’s headache came back to life and he winced. Louis noticed this, as evident by the twitch of his eyebrow and in a second rushed towards the side table to retrieve a glass of water. He held it with concern laden in his eyes. “Drink this, you’ll feel better. I mean I googled cures to hangover from your laptop and that's what the result said anyway. Hope you don’t mind.”

Louis shrugged and Harry’s heart melted a little. Of course he didn’t mind. He was thankful he didn’t like keeping a password on his laptop. Also that he had erased the history last night.

Louis was just so thoughtful, another check in his checklist of ideal man. Actually Harry didn’t have a ‘checklist’ but he was sure if there were one, all the qualities he wanted would be in this person right here. Harry took the glass from Louis, smiling bashfully and drained the glass in one go. His throat felt much better but he was also hungry. Was there any breakfast in the fridge or would he have to make it? Ugh he didn’t want to make anything right now.

As if reading his mind, Louis continued. “Feel better?” he asked and Harry gave a tiny nod. And as the silence fell down on them again, Harry’s stomach grumbled and his cheeks coloured. This morning could not get more embarrassing. Seriously stomach? Seriously? Louis laughed amusedly. “Okay seems like you’re hungry then”

Harry groaned in response. He didn’t like Louis at all. He was teasing him. He had it better. He didn’t need food to survive because he wasn’t a mere mortal like Harry was. This wasn’t fair at all.

Louis stood up, brushing the imaginary lint off his clothes as it made it all dramatic. Harry could see that what he had assumed was a costume, was in fact, not a costume. The clothes were probably old and dusty, that's why they had looked authentic in the night. And since Louis had given his coat to Harry last night, his clothes made him look even better. They were black and figure hugging and did wonders to his body. And Harry thought his face was beautiful, no. He in whole was totally and completely beautiful and that was a wonder indeed. Did being a vampire make you even more beautiful? Harry had a feeling that Louis had been beautiful even when he was a human and... Okay he was ranting in his head. Shit.

Louis looked up, grinning and Harry found his whole mood light up again. Embarrassment what? “So get dressed, painkillers are on the table and lucky for you, I brought breakfast.”

Louis smiled and then disappeared out the door. Harry realised Louis was being dramatic and showing off. Otherwise, he’d be laughing but right now, he was back to his heart melting. Did he say Louis was very thoughtful? Because he really was.

-

After ten minutes of banging his head into a pillow, sighing, Harry took the pills and went to take a shower. And spent five minutes debating what to wear. Usually when he was alone in the house, he didn’t wear any clothes. And now he sort of had to since he didn’t want scare Louis off. But he also wanted to impress him yet he wasn’t in the mood for wearing jeans. So he shrugged on a pair of joggers and a shirt as he just went ‘fuck it’.

Louis sure had seen him at his worst with puffy eyes, pillow crease marks on his cheek and wild bed hair. He wouldn’t mind tamed hair and boring clothes right? He still wanted to bring out his white jeans. Was he being too irrational? Maybe yeah.

He had kept him waiting too long anyway. And it was time to go to him.

Harry took a deep breath. He could do this.

When he arrived in the living room, he found Louis lounging on the couch– hands folded over his stomach and looking as if he was Sleeping Beauty waiting for his Prince to kiss and wake her up. So did it make Harry the prince and give him a chance to wake Louis up with a kiss? Was he sleeping? Could he kiss him?

Harry didn’t realise it but his eyes were trained on Louis’s lips, thin and inviting. It was at that exact point that Louis opened his eyes. And if he hadn’t caught Harry staring at his lips, his blush sure would give it away. “Hi.”

“Hi.” Louis sat up, grinning. “Took you a long time.”

Louis’s grin turned mischievous and Harry decided, so would he. “Do you think my hair grooms itself?”  He twirled his hair between his fingers. It was a hassle to manage it some days but today, it was behaving well. Thankfully. “Also I remember I was promised breakfast?”

“Ooh demanding, are we?” Louis teased and disappeared before reappearing with a bag. Harry gasped and stumbled a little from surprise. Delicious smell wafted from the bag and Harry’s stomach grumbled in reaction to it. He ignored it and snatched the bag from between Louis’s fingers. He could hear Louis laughing but he didn’t pay attention to him, which proved to be a hard thing to do. He was getting rather attached to the crinkles by his eyes when he smiled.

“You have to stop doing that,” Harry mumbled, not knowing if he was referring to his unexpected speed or him being endearing. He intended it to be the first reason though.

“Doing what? Bringing you food?”

That little shit, he was grinning. Harry tried his best to frown but the corners of his lips lifted up in a smile anyway. “I meant trying to surprise me with your superhuman speed. That, you don’t do. This, you sure do.”

“Sorry,” Louis said, referring to the speed thing. But he didn’t look sorry at all. He looked rather proud of himself and Harry really wanted to bop his nose.

Okay Harry was getting too attached too fast. He was a vampire remember? But then he was too cute to be one so it was easy to forget that little fact.

“So are you going to eat or you’re gonna keep staring at me.”

Louis was raising his eyebrows at Harry, which he immediately deemed as cute. Harry stuck his tongue out at the vampire before flopping on the couch where Louis was lying minutes ago. He opened the bag and felt the heavenly smell of baked good invade his nose. Yum. He removed a bagel and pointed it towards Louis as he said, “I’m famished so I’ll eat. You watch.”

Louis laughed at the obvious joke but Harry felt it was too harsh. It was too harsh. So he raised the same bagel towards Louis, offering him it. “You want one?”

Louis shook his head. “You’re cute.” And then he unexpectedly bopped Harry’s nose. Both of them froze at the movement, with Louis’s hand suspended in air. Then he cleared his throat and sat down beside Harry and pretended like the last thing never happened.

Harry, on the other hand, followed Louis’s actions with wide eyes as his heartbeats sped faster than it ever did in his life. Did he just boop his nose? Did that just happen? Also did Louis call him cute? Fuck. This was his life then.

Harry slowly bit into his bagel, not taking his eyes off Louis, as the latter doesn’t look back.

“I don’t know why I did that,” Louis says finally after a few minutes of charged silence. He cleared his throat. “Let’s forget it ever happened.”

He was embarrassed! Louis was embarrassed and Harry wasn’t. This elicited a laugh out of Harry and he nearly choked on his food. Louis stared back before joining in and they both kept on laughing for a while.

“I was thinking to bop your nose!” Harry confessed after they both calmed down. Then he stuffed the whole bagel in his mouth. He can only imagine how disgusting that must be looking but Louis doesn’t comment on it. But he comments on Harry’s revelation.

“And I did that.”

“We were thinking the same thing at once.”

“Yeah.” Louis grinned and Harry grinned back, biting his lower lip. He tried to stifle the obvious fondness he might be giving off by scrunching his nose but he just couldn’t stop smiling.

The silence is only broken by Harry’s growling stomach who doesn’t like being ignored. Stupid stomach, Harry thinks.

“So you eat and I’ll watch.” Harry snorts. “Do it.”

“People might think you have a food kink,” Harry said in a sing-a-song voice. He bit into another bagel as he finished speaking. Louis laughed in response.

“Well, I am a predator after all,” Louis retorted before he froze. Did he think he wasn’t allowed to make vampire jokes? He was definitely allowed to.

“Just don’t eat my food.” Harry pouted and held the back closer to his chest. Louis unfroze, because he had literally turned to statue for some reason and gave a nervous smile. Harry gave a reassuring smile back and as Louis’s smile widen, Harry felt like he could just sit here watching it. It was like watching sunrise. And it made him warm and safe with butterflies in his stomach coming to life.

They didn’t talk much. But then, they didn’t have to.

-

“Entertain me, Louis.”

It so turned out that Harry grew extremely comfortable around Louis. It wasn’t a surprise, it was his speciality. Louis didn’t seem to mind Harry evading his personal space and settling into his arms after finishing his food. He flinched and froze, and yeah he did feel like a statue, but he understood that Harry probably won’t move so he adjudged soon.

At Harry’s words Louis chuckled. “I don’t remember you being like this when we met last night. And neither this morning. You know, you’re too clingy.”

Harry waved his hand, accidentally smacking Louis in face. “Shit sorry. And so I’ve been told.”

Louis hummed in response. But he didn’t comply to Harry’s demand. Harry didn’t like being ignored so he poked his arm. “I said entertain me, Lewis.”

“Entertain you with what?” he asked and pushed Harry upright. Harry pouted slightly but leaned into the plush pillows anyway.

“I don’t know. Don’t you have any travel stories?”

Harry could see the exact point where the air shifted from something casual and jolly to something deeper and heavier. Louis’s eyes had gained a distant look, flashing some emotion which Harry couldn’t really interpret but he assumed it to be sadness. His lips pressed into a thin line as his eyes stared at a spot above Harry’s head so at least the look wasn’t directed at him. His face looked cold and stony, like he had once again assumed the statue pose he did when he didn’t know how to react.

Then as soon as he had gained the faraway look, it melted away to something a little lighter but still unknown to Harry. Louis tried to give a small smile but it didn’t reach his eyes. “Not really, wasn’t a travel kind of guy. I guess. I slept most of the time.”

Louis had somewhat hinted that vampires could sleep and this was somewhat of a conformation. Harry wanted to know more, had questions obviously. But he also knew that this wasn’t the time to ask about it. It was something a bit serious, closer to Louis’s heart. Or else he’d have revealed the reason for the gloomy mood he had gained. Since he was pretending it was nothing, maybe Harry should too. There were some questions that could be left to the future.

Right now he had to bring the mood back to the casual, flirty it was before. The best way to do that was combat it with humour. And so he did.

“Okay then.” He cleared his throat and put on a serious, high-pitched edge to his voice when he spoke the next sentence. “How long have you been seventeen for?”

He knew he was being cheesy by quoting Twilight just because there was a vampire involved but then he was nothing but cheesy. And hearing Louis’s quiet, tinkering laugh made it all worth it. Louis’s shoulders relaxed and whatever little distress was left on his face vanished away. He raised his dainty, little hand to hide his laugh behind it and curled into himself slightly. It was the cutest thing he had seen. Harry could help but smile at the scene in front of him. The tension in the air vanished and the mood shifted back to normal.

“I wasn’t turned at seventeen, Harold,” he said between fits of laughter, shaking his head fondly. His eyes were doing that crinkly thing again and it wasn’t fair. He looked so unreal and Harry couldn’t help but stare. “So I had been seventeen for only a year.”

Harry mock pouted and decided to go with the dramatic thing he had been doing anyway. If it earned him a smile or laugh for Louis, he’d do anything. “Way to ruin that dialogue here now. And I thought I was Bella Swan.”

“Well, you are clumsy,” Louis pointed out. He raised his eyebrows mischievously, like he was daring him to object to it. He couldn’t really object to it because it was true, so he just huffed in response. Louis smiled softly at him and Harry thought for a vampire, he was really moody. And forgetful. It was nice though.

Harry wanted nothing more than to curl into Louis once again but he might be pushing the boundaries so he pulled up his legs and turned to face Louis on the couch. Almost as if he were mirroring, Louis did the same. And it was then that he saw the vans on the floor and realised Louis had been wearing it all along and toed it just now. He cast a disapproving look at it before staring into Louis’s eyes. And they were a soothing blue. It was like staring into the ocean and feeling the serenity being cast over you. This felt familiar, like it weren’t the first day it happened. It felt domestic and homey and overwhelming.

Harry felt his heartbeat speed up for some reason and knew Louis could hear it too. So he decided he needed to speak to distract his attention from it. “So what did you do after you dropped me home?”

If Louis seemed to get the sudden diversion, he didn’t speak up about it. Instead he tapped his chin, deep in thought and looked endearing while doing so. He hummed. “Nothing much actually. Just roaming and feeding?”

“Feeding?” Harry asked and he could see Louis freeze up again. At first, Harry was concerned but with the fourth time he had seen him do that, he felt that it might be his nervous habit. Fantasy people, weird habits – you know what they say. Louis also seemed to have been breathing? That was weird. Vampires didn’t breathe right? But that question got pushed to the back of his mind as Louis started speaking quickly.

“Not on humans. I don’t feed on humans and haven’t since a very, very long time. I was a newborn at that point and a little out of hand. But I never killed anyone. I fed on wild animals a little out of the city. And I didn’t kill them either. I’m not that type of vampire. Maybe I should run away oh my god.”

Harry couldn’t hold back the laughter at that point and it made Louis stop his rambling. It was just that it was very funny seeing Louis all flustered and stumbling over his words. It didn’t matter that some things were too fast for him to get, but he got the gist. Besides he knew vampires drank blood. That was a common thing. Or, well, common for a vampire. “Relax Louis. I’m not judging you or anything. And stay, please stay.”

“Really?” he asked, eyes a little wild and hopeful. Stupid, tiny vampire. Actually, he couldn’t believe Louis was a vampire. He wasn’t scary and was so scared of words. It was funny and cute. Everything with him was, anyway.

And Harry was tiny bit in love with him. It wasn’t a shocking surprise but it was rarely this fast, even for him. He didn’t think much about it. Not the time.

“Of course.” He smiled reassuringly. “Now, what did you do after?”

Louis gave a small smile but he didn’t look entirely convinced that Harry was comfortable with the whole thing. He was just being silly thought. If he wasn’t comfortable, Harry wouldn’t have invited, nor had a discussion about his life.

“So I was actually mostly roaming. Watching the sunrise because I couldn’t resist. Then I found my way back to this place and whilst I was walking er running, I found this bakery by the end of the street which was open early in the morning. And delicious smell was coming out of there so I went in. Luckily I had nicked money off someone earlier so I used it and bought the bagels.”

Harry raised his eyebrows in surprise. “Wait a minute. So these delicious bagels that I ate are bought from stolen money?”

“At least they’re not stolen. I paid for the food!” Louis pouted and crossed his arms across his chest defensively. “Besides the guy wouldn’t even miss it. He was like, loaded.”

“But still!”

“Are you really gonna argue on it?”

Harry sighed. “No but I was trying to be a good and moral citizen. It shouldn’t look like I went down without a fight.”

“You are ridiculous.” Louis smiled at him fondly and warmth pooled in Harry’s stomach at that.

Harry smiled in return. “By the way, which bakery was it?”

“The one down the street. Around the corner? That one.”

Harry hummed. “I work there.”

“At a bakery?” Louis was cocking an eyebrow with surprise written all over his face. Harry felt a little offended at that.

So he acted offended, clutching his chest dramatically. “Excuse you. Don’t be so surprised. I'm planning on going to a culinary school and working at a bakery is a good practise.”

“But Harry, aren’t...”

“Shh.” Harry placed a finger on Louis’s lip, feeling a little brave again. He held his finger there and felt the air around them charge up slightly. He leaned back slowly, not taking his eyes off Louis. He was trying to be seductive. But that effort went to waste when he stumbled slightly and nearly fell off the couch. Louis started laughing. “Heyy! Also I needed an excuse to keep working there, okay? Shut up. Stop laughing.”

Louis didn’t stop laughing, cackling merrily without feeling the need to cover his mouth with his hand. He looked so carefree, so within his grasp that Harry wanted to touch his cheek. And pull him into a kiss. But he couldn’t do that. He didn’t know if Louis liked him like that.

“After that what did you do?” Harry badgered on. Now was really not the time to delve on that topic that he really wanted to forget.

Louis calmed down slightly and sat up straight. He cleared his throat. “So after that I walked to this building but I didn’t know where you lived or how to get to you. Then I remembered I had given you my coat so I tracked the smell and climbed up the wall. I’m pretty sure someone from across the street saw me.”

Harry let out a small laugh. Louis had a habit of talking with his hands while narrating an event. It was entertaining to watch really. “You know you could’ve asked me last night where I lived right?”

Louis shrugged, a small smile dancing on his lips. “But what's the fun being a regular guy when I could be the creepy vampire.” He wiggled his eyebrows to go with the dramatics.

Harry giggled and Louis smiled at him fondly. “You could’ve stayed last night as well.”

“Now you’re pushing it Harry,” Louis teased. The wide smile he was sprouting totally gave away his playfulness. He was really enjoying this and Harry felt pleased.

“Am I now?”

“Yes you are.” Louis was smiling widely and Harry felt hot from the intensity of the gaze focussed on him. Harry leaned back into the couch and let his eyes shut. He could still feel Louis’s gaze on him and his mind reminded how unreal this all was. He was never this comfortable with anyone. And that's saying something when it comes to Harry. He was a naturally clingy person. Any one of his friends would tell the same. Yet the attachment between Harry and Louis was deeper and quicker than with anyone else.

It was a little lot to handle but he knew he had to deal with it. So why not now with Louis staring at him and wondering why he was being so weird. He also remembered the food was over.

“I’m out of food,” he murmured. Vampire ears that Louis had, picked it up and he could hear a dramatic gasp.

“Harry Styles, the baker and aspiring culinary school student is out of food?” he gasped dramatically. “No way.”

“Shut up,” Harry murmured but there was no heat behind it. Also he was grinning. “We need to go food shopping today before I die of hunger.”

“It’s noon.”

“So?” Harry opened one eye and leaned up to look at Louis. Louis was looking back flabbergasted. He really didn’t understand what was so surprising about it. Did acquaintance not go shopping? Was this being too forward? What? “What?”

Louis snorted. “Harry. Do you want me to come to the supermarket with you?”

“Yeah?” Harry was getting really confused. And also Louis’s tone was like what one used with a baby who doesn’t understand much. Harry might be a baby at heart. And yes he might not understand what's going on right now. But he didn’t like that tone being used on him.

Louis widened his eyes, unwavering gaze fixed on Harry still with his eyebrows raised. Harry sat up properly. “You want me, a vampire, to go with you to a supermarket at noon? In broad daylight?”

“Huh?” vampire. Oh. “Oh. Right.”

Louis nodded with his eyebrows still raised. “Right.”

Harry giggled, raising his hand to his mouth to cover it. Louis watched him, amused. “It’s easy to forget that you’re a vampire. I mean, you’re not really scary with red eyes and visible fangs, you know?”

“Heyy,” Louis whined and yeah this he might have definitely learnt from Harry. He pouted, jutting out his bottom lip. “Just because I’m well groomed, doesn’t mean I’m not scary. I mean I could keep my hair unkempt, fangs out and red eyes but then we might not have been here okay? I like being non-scary. Keeps me human.”

His voice might be teasing but there was a bitter emotion hidden behind it. And Harry was once again reminded of the reaction Louis had before. It was some incident in the past that was the cause for both of these bitter reactions, he knew it. Harry was brimming with questions but he promised himself he wouldn’t ask, not the time. “Sensitive topic?”

Louis smile, which had dropped before came back into place, albeit a little faker. “Yeah I mean my short stature is a tough issue.”

Harry laughed along just because. “Teeny, tiny, Louis.”

“Hey!”

And just like that, the topic was buried successfully. Harry couldn’t wait to dig up the dirt, but only later when they were well acquainted and boyfriends or something. It was thinking way ahead but eh, that was his thing. And he really wanted to be Louis’s boyfriend.

-

Harry insisted that there was no food in the house. He after all, knew better right? Wrong. Louis insisted there was food in the house. And with his extraordinary sense of smell, he sniffed out the leftover Thai food that he didn’t even know he had. It had gone a little bad but nothing he couldn’t eat. He stuffed some food in his mouth, as he was already hungry again. Funny that.

“So talk to me Louis,” he said around the morsels of food. Harry had a lot of gross eating habits, everyone around him chastised for it. And he imagined he looked quite disgusting as he spoke. But Louis didn’t chastise him, no. He didn’t react any differently to it. He knew he had found the perfect one!

“I’m confused. Isn’t that what we’ve been doing from when you woke up?”  He started laughing but seeing Harry’s blank stare, he stopped. “Okay so what do you want to talk about?”

Louis crossed his feet on the couch, leaning on his elbows. He looked rather endearing and small, which he didn’t know how he managed to do time and again. Harry had a hard time remembering what their conversation was about.

Oh questions, right.

“So Louis, tell me,” Harry started, leaning in conspiringly. And Louis unknowingly leaned in too. “What is your age?”

Louis raised an eyebrow. In a low whisper which represented the mood, he said, “Why, my Harold, do you have an age kink?”

“What?” Harry spluttered, choking on the food he was putting in his mouth at just that moment. It was totally unexpected. And he didn’t okay? He didn’t. Or maybe he did who knew. “No.”

“Really?” Louis waggled his eyebrows in a teasing way and Harry continued choking. He did not. The fact that Louis was older didn’t turn him on. It didn’t. Louis didn’t know, he was joking.

“Can you answer or are you, like a thousand years old and too embarrassed to tell me.” Louis stopped laughing at that and pouted.

“Hey now, that's mean.” He raised his chin defiantly. “And I’m about two hundred years old, practically a baby in the vampire world.”

Harry had a feeling that was not entirely true so he gasped dramatically and saw the corner of Louis’s lips twitch reluctantly. “My my, you’re that old?”

“I was born in the 1860s so yeah. I’m not that old in vampire years.” Harry started laughing and Louis batted his arms. “Come on, I’m not that old. Don’t make me feel so old.”

“You’re not old,” Harry found himself saying. It seemed like his first instinct was to reassure and that sunny smile on Louis’s face was worth. It had a smug tilt to it, like he had won the argument and really that wasn’t the case. Harry would have the winning point. “You’re a _baby_.”

“Heeeyy!” he protested, sending Harry into fits of giggles. Louis forgot his annoyance at that and just watched Harry fondly. Harry knew he was doing that so his giggles melted into his blush and soft smile as he stared back. He didn’t know him for more than a day, but for some reason he knew that Louis didn’t know he was making that face. The sharpness of his jaws melted into the softness of his smile as he titled his head to a side. Louis sighed. “You’re cute.”

“Says you,” Harry replied without missing a beat. “You’re the epitome of cuteness.”

“I beg to differ.”

“So how old were you when you turned to a vampire.”

“What?”  The change of the topic on Harry’s part had thrown him into confusion. His forehead was furrowed as he gaped like a fish. It was funny to Harry so he laughed again and Louis just shook his head. “And I was twenty four.”

“So like two years older than I am now?”  Technically the age gap was two years old, because Louis didn’t exactly aged. This was Harry’s logic and who cared if it was wrong.

“Well yeah. But I also have like a hundred and thirty two years on you so don’t even think we’re technically the same age.”

Oops. He seemed to have caught Harry’s train of thought. “I was not.”

“Sure,” Louis said, with the air of someone who didn’t mean what they said. Harry pouted due to force of habit. But then, he wasn’t exactly wrong so well. He could still pout okay.

“Anyway,” Harry got into his previous position, leaning forward. “Louis, so tell me. Do you have any war stories? You lived in England right? You must have something.”

He knew Louis didn’t travel but he must know right? Wrong. Louis laughed and shook his head. “No Harry, I don’t have any. I was a bit, uh, disconnected from the real world.” He chuckled, placing his head on his hands. “I bet you are wishing you met a more interesting vampire than me.”

Harry knew it was in all jest but he couldn’t let the bitterness behind Louis’s words slide. There was something in Louis’s past he didn’t want to share but it clearly affected him enough that he missed everything in the real word. It was something he purposely held back and it affected his life badly. Was it someone not something? Was it an ex-lover? Was he affected by their death?

May be, could be. Harry wouldn’t know since he didn’t ask. “I would never think of meeting anyone else but you. I want this vampire.” He removed his hands from under his chin and placed them on Louis’s knee, which he now knew was restlessly shaking. “I’m glad I met you.”

Louis stilled, but not like before. He was stunned by Harry’s confession, as if he never expected those words to leave his mouth. Which was stupid. When he relaxed, Louis smiled, albeit a little sadly. Harry smiled back, squeezing his knee. He could feel the cold radiating from Louis’s skin. It was surprising since he had never touched skin so cold it could be felt through layers. Then he hadn’t quite met vampires before so how would he have.

It had gotten quiet all of a sudden as Louis stared deeply into Harry’s eyes. Harry could hear the ticking of the clock, music coming out of the neighbours flat and the fast-paced beat of his own heart. He was acutely aware that Louis could hear it. He was also aware of the fact that there was only one beating heart between them, the other long stopped. He stopped to wonder if it was faith that made them cross way, maybe it was. “What time is it?”

“Nearly four. Why?” Louis shifted back, dislodging Harry’s hand from his knee. Harry missed the cold contact.

“Because we have to grocery shopping. Did you forget that, old man.” Harry giggled as he stood up and he could see Louis shaking his head. The human cracked his shoulders, feeling the dull ache between his shoulder blades and lower back. He always had a bad back and the position he was sitting in wasn’t helping before. But it meant he could stare at Louis all he wanted so he hadn’t wanted to shift. Now it came to bite him in the back. “Also we need to change.”

Louis raised his eyebrows at that, staring at him with judgement in his eyes. “I’m sorry, we?”

“Yes, we,” Harry answered simply, flashing him a coy smile.

“Why do I need to change?” Louis asked, subconsciously pulling at his shirt as he checked it for any fault. He didn’t seem to find any as he looked back up.

Harry sighed, looking faux disappointed. He titled his head to a side as he placed one hand on his hip. “Come on Louis. Do you really want to go to Tesco in those clothes?”

“I don’t get what's wrong with these clothes.” Louis stood up as well, spinning around. He seemed to check his clothes, searching what Harry found wrong in it. It was adorable. He looked like a graceless ballerina. He looked tiny and cute as well. “They are fine.”

“They are,” Harry agreed, nodding. He cleared his throat, spinning on the spot and walked to his bedroom. Louis zipped in front of him, faster than Harry expected and he had to take a step back. “But you need to change if we’re going for grocery shopping, Louis. That coat itself looked from 1860s.” He snorted for effect. There was a silence that followed where Louis refused to meet his eyes, fiddling with the hem of his shirt. It was a confusing reaction at first. Then it clicked. “It is? I didn’t expect that. It is still in good condition, have to say.”

Louis shrugged at the compliment before frowning as the rest of the words sunk in. “Well, but these are all I have.” He waved his hand to signal at his clothes, looking confused as hell. “What do I change into then?”

Harry grinned wickedly. This was what he had wanted to hear when he was scheming. His plan was working. He feigned nonchalance, putting on his ‘thinking face’ before saying what he had planned. “I mean, you can borrow my clothes.”

Louis seemed to sniff the suspicion in the air, probably, as his eyes narrowed the wider Harry smiled. He could sense that he had already fallen into a trap Harry had laid. It was too late for that though. The deed was done. Harry had won.

And that rhymed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kudos and comments are much appreciated. I hope you liked it :)


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had written it out two days back but then i got into this mood and rewrote it. So a big thank you to my beta for checking all the errors in this quickly.

“I still don’t know why I have to wear this,” Louis exclaimed while he shook his head. Harry, who was walking beside him, snickered when Louis flapped his hands around. His fists were completely hidden in the sleeve of the sweater Harry had given. He had given him this soft lavender jumper which hung loosely around his figure. He half-suspected Harry had given him something which was oversized on him so it was even bigger on Louis. But then he wouldn’t be able to prove it. He gave Harry the stink eye which spurred him into laughter. He doubled over and stopped in the middle of the street laughing, just like that. Louis had to stop too and the person behind him bumped into him and walked away cursing.

On one hand, he loved that he made Harry laugh until he made weird horse sounds. On the other hand, he really didn’t like that it was at his expense. It was a real dilemma for Louis. He didn’t know whether to be satisfied or grumble. Actually he did, he grumbled.

“It’s not funny, Harry, and it’s your idea!” Louis grumbled as he pointed a threatening finger towards Harry. The effect wasn’t met with, as instead of a finger, it was his bloody sweater paw! He hated and loved that sweater. On one hand, it was nice and warm and comforting. On the other hand, it was huge and he was sinking in it.

Also, he was doing a lot of ‘hand’ play right now.

Harry wouldn’t stop laughing so Louis crossed his arms over his chest, waiting for him to stop. He also tapped his foot to go with it. “Are we quite finished here?”

Harry, who was resting his hands on his knees, looked up at him through his lashes. There was mirth and mischief dancing in his eyes, leading Louis to think that Harry had purposely given him this monstrosity of this sweater. Actually it was rather lovely and a beautiful shade of colour and he’d love to keep it... but this wasn’t the time to praise the sweater! It was his enemy. Harry was biting his lower lip trying to hold back his laughter yet the dimples digging into his cheeks totally gave him away. He was wearing a similar sweater just grey instead of lavender and looked a right size on him. It wasn’t fair. Why was he looking like a fool in this big sweater?

But wearing Harry’s clothes also gave rise to this warm feeling in his stomach which was probably love. He really did like wearing Harry’s jumper but would never accept that. Especially not to himself. It would be like giving in.

“You look so cute in it though!” Harry exclaimed. People were starting to get annoyed by the two people standing in the middle of the sidewalk so Louis motioned for Harry to move on.

They had decided to walk to the grocery story since Harry claimed it was nearby. It had only been about five minutes since they started and Harry had laughed about twenty times about Louis’s grumbling. And yes he had been keeping count. He had also mentioned that Louis looked cute about three times and it hadn’t failed to make him blush internally. Only internally. Thankfully he wasn’t human enough to actually blush and have it be seen on his cheeks. He was safe. Louis huffed in response.

Harry smiled, nudging Louis’s ribs. He looked smug. “You love the sweater.”

“I do no such thing,” Louis lied, hugging himself. Harry smiled anyway since he was sure about it. He wasn’t wrong but Louis wouldn’t let him feel it was right. He let Harry steer him towards the store.

They had left near sunset so Louis didn’t have to worry about being burned by the sunlight. The air was cool and the setting sun had painted the sky a glorious shade of orange. Harry and Louis walked together, hands occasionally brushing and Louis felt the mad urge to just grab Harry’s hand and swing it between them. But he didn’t. Because then it would be like they were on a date when they weren’t.

But Louis’s thoughts were wandering just like they were. In his head, this didn’t feel like a casual walk to the store, no. This felt like a romantic stroll under the setting sun as if they were on a date. The sparks were flying between them alright and both steadfastly refused to accept it. Louis was refusing it because he didn’t want to leap too far and land in a ditch. He still had the scars left from the last time he thought someone would stay forever. And no, it was not a lover. They were more. And he also felt that Harry was something more, but this time it was in a romantic sense. Louis looked up at Harry when he wasn’t looking back. He looked really pretty right now and yup, he was definitely something more.

Louis looked ahead quickly when Harry turned. He didn’t want to be caught staring alright. But in his dead heart he knew. This was a date to the grocery store. Some first date huh.

They spent the next half hour picking fruits. And it was incredibly boring. Harry had this habit of handpicking every little fruit and checking it. Actually just checked it. He would sniff every fruit or poke it or something like that. It was no fun watching Harry nitpicking every fruit. Also whoever did that? It was boring and the only thing Louis wanted to do was complain about it. So he did the same. “Why are you buying so many fruit, you health-freaky-hipster!”

Harry, who was in the process of sniffing an apple, raised his eyebrows at him with a very judging stare. His green eyes were carefully blank while his face conveyed all the criticism about Louis’s action. It was very weird how he did that. He wouldn’t stop giving him a judgemental stare for over a minute so Louis cocked back an eyebrow as well, challenging him. What he was challenging, he didn’t know. “This is like the third apple you are sniffing.”

Harry titled his head to a side, blinking his eyes annoyingly slow. In the moment Louis analysed Harry’s face, more importantly Harry’s lips which were decidedly more red than the apple ever was. They were like this luscious shining red and the apple looked rather pale in front of it even though it was the reddest of them all. Louis suspected Harry actually wore some lip balm or something. But then he hadn’t seen him actually apply it so it might be the natural shade. Lucky him then.

The excess time made Louis do unnecessary observations as well then. He wished Harry would speak up. And as if reading his mind, he did speak up.

“When I’m bored, I like eating fruits and drink smoothies,” Harry explained, enunciating every word slowly like he was explaining something to a toddler. Which was wrong since Louis was over a hundred years older. Then too Harry might have said the same about two times already so maybe he deserved this toddler treatment. “For that I need fruits and I am going to do it right. Next we’ll be going to the cereal aisle, Lou. You can choose what you want then, no nitpicking. I just need a few nicer apples.”

Harry went back to sniffing the very apple in his hands so Louis huffed. He wouldn’t be bored anymore. So he picked a few random apples and dropped them in their cart. Harry made protesting noises in his throat which Louis spoke over. “See, you can throw them in and be done. Now let’s go!”

Louis grabbed Harry’s larger and warmer hand in his and dragged him along with the cart. In his rush to get out of the fruit aisle, Louis didn’t realise that he was walking rather fast and making Harry stumble more than usual. He also realised that Harry’s protests were about the speed rather than about the action like he had assumed. So he came to an abrupt halt, making Harry crash into him. His hands automatically rushed to his shoulders to stabilise him. He realised they were standing really close so he took a step back with a sheepish smile. “Sorry about that.”

Harry huffed, dusting off the invisible lint on his clothes which Louis knew wasn’t there, and he was acting out. He resisted an eye roll at Harry’s action. A fond smile sure did make way no matter how much he tried to stifle it. “Next time a little warning please?”

Louis shook his head, being endeared by his dramatics in his head. The two of them were a very dramatic pair, that was for sure. “Don’t be such a boring old man the next time, then.” He was trying to be snarky and smug but he knew was coming off as fond.

Harry smirked, stepping a little more back and trying to lean against the cereal racks and nearly stumbling. Cute. “Why? Because it’s your job?”

“Hey!”  Louis shoved at Harry’s shoulder and he stumbled a little more. Louis had to catch him eventually so as to not let him go crashing to the floor. “I’m not boring.”

“So you admit to the fact that you are definitely old?” Harry asked, his face a picture of innocence. Acting as if he were the sweetest boy in all of town when he was as far from that as one could get. Louis couldn’t really disagree to that but he wouldn’t admit he was trapped by his own words. So he did the only thing he did best – deny.

“I admit to no such thing,” he replied, spinning on spot as he walked to the nearest rack which contained cereals. He picked up the box titled Curiously Cinnamon. The name seemed interesting and Harry did give him the right to choose anything he wanted, so he threw the box in the cart. Harry made a tutting sound in his throat, shaking his head slowly. But he also made no moves to remove it so Louis moved forward. He could still see the judgement in Harry’s eyes so he felt the overwhelming need to explain. It was in his natural to do so because he was awkward. “What? The name seemed good so why not.”

“I said nothing.”

“You didn’t have to,” Louis commented, standing on his tiptoes so he was eye to eye with Harry. “I could see the judgement in your eyes.”

“You must have confused it with resignation.” Harry had a carefully blank and serious face again but Louis knew he was itching with the need to laugh. “But then that's what you get when you take a vampire grocery shopping, I guess.”

“Don’t be mean,” Louis muttered as he dropped down to his usual height. He didn’t really have any problem with Harry’s retort, not at all. Especially not after Harry started giggling the way he did.

But he had an act to keep so Louis grabbed a random box of cereal and dropped it into the cart as he stared into Harry’s eyes. He continued to pick random stuff up after then and throwing it into the cart. Most of the times, they were useless or incorrigibly named stuff. Harry would remove a few but let the rest stay. It was fun.

Never did he actually think grocery shopping would be fun, since he had actually never been to one. But it was. It was also looking more and more like a date in his head and he had to finally accept that maybe it was. Or at least, that was what he had wanted it to be. He hoped Harry would have wanted it to be too.

-

Louis plopped onto the couch, placing his head on his hand which was placed on the arm of the couch. He watched Harry put away what they had bought. All the way he had insisted that he was strong enough to carry all the groceries back home even though Louis assured him this would be like carrying a feather. Harry said something about self-pride and him being the one to take them. So Louis let him carrying it. He was nothing if not lazy.

Right now, he still wasn’t accepting Louis’s help and he was resigned to watching him only. How he twirled slightly on his long legs and knocked his hand into stuff. It was entertaining to say at the least. “Do you accept you need my help now, Harold?”

“What?” Harry asked, fingers deftly holding on to the cereal boxes in one hand and ketchup in the other. He looked slightly out of it and his hair had escaped his bun. He looked proper flustered. Louis knew that those were the two boxes he had picked and had been the one to throw the ketchup in as well. He didn’t know what took over him then. He did, but eh. “No... No I don’t need help. I’m fine.”

As if proving Harry’s statement was a lie, one of the cereal boxes from his hand fell down. And as Louis had his eyes on it, he was able to catch it before it hit the ground. Also he was trying to show off his speed to impress Harry. Whatever. “Sure.”

Harry huffed and the tendril of hair that had escaped his bun blew slightly. “I could’ve picked it up.”

“If you say so,” Louis said, disbelief clear in his tone. He could see Harry’s smile anyway and he couldn’t help but smile back. This was still awfully domestic, okay. “Since I’m going to help you out too!”

“Hey!” Harry was about to add something more when Louis beat him to it.

“I’ll help at human speed. Is it fine now?”

“No? I mean I can...”  Louis didn’t let him say anything more, he picked out the cereal box in Harry’s hand and placed it in the cupboard he was trying to put it in. He had to stand on his tiptoes a little and was pressed really close to Harry. And no it was not an excuse to go closer to Harry. It was not. He was doing crazy stuff today. He hated going closer to people but here he was, standing chest to chest with Harry while raising an eyebrow. Harry’s gaze was rather fixed on Louis’s lips and it was visible how he wanted to close the gap in them. But Louis thought this was too early. They had barely met and Harry could still hate the vampire side of him. He hadn’t seen the vampire side fully and it might freak him out. So he needed to sort everything out before they moved forward into a relationship.

Relationship? Look at him considering deep matters of the heart. Whatever.

Louis stepped backwards and grabbed the first item he saw on the counter. “So where does this go?”

The two spent the next few minutes putting the stuff into the places they should go. Louis would sometimes place it in the wrong drawer and Harry would correct him. This still felt like a date to Louis. Was it wrong that something this mundane felt special? Maybe it was just because the other person was Harry. Yeah that was it.

He always explained away the butterflies in the stomach as well. Just Harry, no big deal. He tended to have that effect on him.

“What now?”

Harry grabbed that one box he had still kept on the counter. Macaroni. “Let’s eat? I’m hungry.”

Louis shrugged. “Sure whatever. Human needs and all that.”

Harry chuckled at his poor joke and shook his head. He put the macaroni to cook. Louis offered to help but the both of them knew he would be useless to actually do anything.

“Cooking is my speciality,” Harry commented. “At least let me do that.”

“Cooking is your specialty hence you are making the most basic dinner of it all. Okay. Makes perfect sense.” Harry pouted at him, widening his doe eyes more than usual. He was really endearing so Louis just shook his head and left it at that.

So instead he watched Harry slowly cook. And damn if it wasn’t slow.

Louis’s thoughts were running. So he realised that this slowness wasn’t visible as much in the morning. Harry was slow, sure, but not this slow. He was picking apples leisurely and putting the stuff on the shelves slowly and... It was as if on purpose. Wait was it on purpose?

Louis’s eyes widened as he watched Harry’s stir the cheese slowly in the pan. No way. Was Harry trying to delay everything? But why? Why would he be doing that?

That very minute Harry looked up to smile brightly. And somehow Louis’s suspicions were confirmed. He was surprised he didn’t notice it sooner. It did start from the time he wanted Louis to wear his sweater. This was his grand plan, or something like that. But what was it about?

“You want me to make something for you as well?” Harry asked, a casual tilt to his voice. What was he trying to do? Make Louis stay?

Wait that was it. He wanted Louis to stay. Was this what it was all about? He could’ve asked. Louis wouldn’t have been scared or anything. Was he afraid Louis would do something drastic like run away? Well he might since he’s used to flee attachments and problems. But did Louis want to run away? It didn’t take a second to answer that no, he didn’t. He wanted to stay this time. He had run away from people for a hundred years now – the reason why he wouldn’t stay in touch with even Liam for the most part. But he finally felt right to face it. He was ready to face reality if Harry was by his side. And yeah it was too soon to admit it, but he knew that this was what home felt like. Something he hadn’t felt in a long time. This felt like a home to Louis, he thought as he looked at Harry slowly making food. And he could see himself stay. He smiled at the human fondly, knowing his eyes were probably slits of fondness. Not like it mattered anyway.

“We have all the time in the world, love, so don’t fret,” he whispered, low enough that only he could hear it. It felt really nice to say it out loud now. Made the butterflies in his stomach grow stronger. No running away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was inspired by 1dhq and fetus Larry to make this grocery shopping date lol. Seen too much of the first and too little of the second so i just mixed both of them. And the lavender sweater of Harry's is the fandom favourite so I wondered how it would look on Louis so i just added it.  
> Hope you all liked it :)


	3. Chapter 3

Harry scrapped the Mac and Cheese he had made from the pan. In his plan of slowing things down, the heat on the stove wasn’t accounted for. It didn’t listen to him. Hence it led to the macaroni being overcooked. So much for someone who would be working at a restaurant. He’d make great chef someday if he managed like this, he thought sarcastically. He glared at the ticking hands of the clock on the wall. Time didn’t stop for man. It didn’t stop for Harry either. So it was nearly nine.

Food was done and about to be eaten and Harry was out of ideas about what to do next. His grand plan was to make Louis stay long enough that he would be resigned to stay overnight. If he stayed overnight, he would stay forever. Harry knew the plan was illogical but he would make it work anyway. He hoped Louis doesn’t get a clue of this.

When Harry had been cooking, Louis had stayed leaning against the counter watching him until Harry had to shoo him off for being too distracting. And he was distracting. He looked so pretty that Harry nearly ignored the macaroni on the stove. Also he had this tendency to stand too still and look like a statue and his sculpted cheekbones supported the theory. Harry was distracted by that as well. So he had to go, sadly. But it did give Harry time to think his plan through.

At the start his list had only one word down – delay. And that was what was still there. Just he didn’t know how to delay it exactly. So Harry picked the first option he saw. The option of cooking.

Now see, Harry knew he should’ve picked some elaborate stuff and made some fancy dinner but what was the fun making so much for one. So he just picked up the macaroni box Louis had chucked in and decided it would do. Sadly it would be made quickly but what other option did he have? He wasn’t thinking clearly. Also a fancy dinner gave everything a ‘date’ feel. And he was trying to avoid making it seem even more like a date. He had this weird feeling that their grocery-shopping outing was a date but who ever had a first date at a grocery. Right?

Right.

Harry shook his head to physically shake off those thoughts. It wasn’t something to delve upon for now. He needed something else to do which would be delaying the night. Then it clicked! Movies!

Movies always made time speed up. Also it would be like a continuation of their date... er they weren’t on a date. But it wasn’t about that, no way. Movies were a good way to spend time together. Netflix and chill and all.

Harry walked to the couch, holding the bowl in one hand. He found Louis lounging on the couch like he had in the morning; eyes closed looking like he was in some blissful sleep. Harry couldn’t help but imagine waking up to this sight even if Louis wouldn’t actually be sleeping with him. Or sleeping at all. Or something like that. It was just a thought, is all.

As if sensing Harry’s gaze on him, Louis opened his eyes, lips curving into a smile. And it felt awful lot like déjà vu. Harry smiled back, poking at Louis’s legs to make him move. The vampire got the hint, shifting so that he was sitting up at one end of the couch like he had in the morning, hugging his legs. Harry sat crossed legged as he faced the vampire. “Hey.”

“Hey.” Harry placed the bowl between his legs. “So I was thinking we should watch a movie together.”

“A movie?” Louis asked with a quirked eyebrow. His eyes were sparkling, looking as if they held someone unsaid words and all of Harry’s secret. That sure wouldn’t be possible right? There was nothing there was that Harry wanted to hide. Except the fact that he was innovating ways to make Louis stay. Surely he wouldn’t know that. And right now the curly haired man was only hallucinating it. Or was he?

“Yeah, a movie,” Harry answered before stuffing his mouth with macaroni so he didn’t have to talk about it or explain. It was a perfectly reasonable thing to do – delay.

“What’s a movie?” Louis asked as he tilted his head to a side. It made Harry choke on his macaroni. No way. He didn’t know what a movie was? Was he really that old?

Harry tried to recollect the history of the film industry. He surely had read a random article in Wikipedia about it. But right now he was coming up with blanks. Even if cinema had been a recent thing, you couldn’t exactly escape it right? Like did vampires stay in a different world? Harry gasped internally. Wait is that he had never met one? Had Louis decided to escape that perfect world to navigate into the world of mere mortal. Because that would explain a lot of things. Harry was about to ask that very question when he was saved from the embarrassment by Louis bursting into fits of laughter.

“Oh my god Harry, your face,” Louis exclaimed before laughing again. He was clutching his tummy, subconscious wiping at the end of his eye as if wiping a tear. It was an endearing and confusing sight, Harry thought. Endearing because... well did anyone have to ask? Confusing because, well he didn’t know what the petite vampire was laughing at. “Did you really think I wouldn’t know what a movie was, Harold? Damn.”

That explained the laughing. Louis was laughing at his expense. He was the perfect spawn of Satan. He was evil. That's why he was perfect, Harry thought to himself as he crossed his arms over his chest and waited for Louis to stop laughing. And as much as he resisted, he couldn’t stop his lips from breaking into a smile. He tried to hold it back by scrunching his nose but the fondness in his smile didn’t wane in the least.

“I was just kidding with you,” Louis said, placing a hand on Harry’s thigh. It made the latter’s heartbeat spike and made his eyes drop to the pretty pink lips of the vampire. “Don’t be so upset.”

“I’m not upset,” Harry answered a little too quick and a little too breathless. Even if Louis noticed – oh who was he kidding of course he noticed – he didn’t comment. He just stared into Harry’s eyes while removing his hand from Harry’s thigh. Harry was a little upset about it but tried his hardest not to show it. It’s not like it would change a thing if he didn’t show how affected he was because Louis already did know. It was either that he didn’t focus on it or didn’t care enough to show it or was helping Harry salvage his dignity. He hoped it was the third reason. “You are something else.”

He didn’t mean to say it; it was just a passing thought. That's why he looked up at Louis with wide panicked eyes and saw Louis’s eyes just as wide but not with panic. They were bewildered and confused, almost as if he didn’t believe what Harry said or couldn’t believe Harry said it. He didn’t know why he said it, but he wouldn’t exactly want to take it back. It was out there in the open and it was perfect moment for Harry to declare his all-consuming love. But instead, he said, “What movie do you want to watch?”

“Huh?”

And the moment was broken. Neither of them had realised they were leaning closer to each other or that there was this sudden heaviness and tension in the room. The air between them had been charged, expectant. But it was broken because of Harry’s words and Louis’s apparent confusion. Harry realised he could’ve totally kissed Louis right then. The moment was right, the tension was right and he knew the kiss would be right as well. But he had to go ahead and ruin it. Of fucking course.

Harry got up from his seat, cheeks aflame as he rushed to his DVD collection to distract himself. He riffled through it, babbling along. “So I’ve got a bunch of films which I don’t know if you’ve seen. I’m a huge rom-com fan so I have them. But I don’t what you like. So if you have something you want then we always have Netflix and like...” Harry took a deep breath, realising he was going nowhere with this. So he turned around to face Louis who was looking at him, eyebrows raised with a soft and amused look on his face. “What should we watch?”

“I’ve never really watched movies to be honest.” Louis shrugged. “The last one I watched was probably black and white with my... doesn’t matter. Anything will do really. Actually, let’s watch your favourite.”

Harry hesitated, trying to quell the burning desire to ask who this person was that made Louis’s eyes get this faraway look. But the vampire was hell-bent on pretending the topic never came up. This was really annoying, being the sensible person. So Harry pursed his lips, nodding, as he picked up his favourite film – Love, actually. This would be perfect, Harry though. ‘For a date’ his brain added. But he ignored that voice. Useless that voice was.

But Harry found himself listening to that voice anyway, keeping that DVD, and picking up Titanic. This would do. This was sad and not at all romantic. Actually that was romantic too, his brain added. Shut up, he told it. Titanic would be the one, he thought, putting the DVD in, and waddling back to the couch.

“Don’t be afraid to cry,” Harry said before clicking play. He thought he heard a snort from Louis but he couldn’t be too sure.

“Isn’t it the ‘unsinkable ship’ that sank?” Louis asked when he saw the film start. Harry made a humming sound in his throat. He knew he was going to cry so he vowed not open his mouth and alert Louis about it. “I was there, I remember.”

“This you remember?” Harry asked, breaking his vow to remain silent throughout. It was a little surprising that he didn’t know any incidents from the World Wars but he remembered this. “You’re a weird little thing.”

Louis chuckled. Then they watched the film in silence, but only a little longer. Apparently Louis was the type to comment as he watched. Harry heard the little comments from him that made him chuckle but it still couldn’t take away the sadness of the film. He was sure Louis would cry at the end. He might not have a beating heart but he did have a heart right? It didn’t matter. Because the ship was filling with water and so were Harry’s eyes.

“Why did Rose jump on board again? I know you love Jack, but come on!” Louis said, shaking his head. Harry didn’t comment but inside he was screaming “because it is true love, you dummy, how could live when the other dies.” But then he realised that he died anyway and it made his throat close up. Damn these emotions.

“There’s place for them both on that door. You just had to make some space, right Harry...” Louis turned to look at Harry and the human couldn’t help but let out a choked sob. Was he really going to cry right now? It was all his fault for putting on this film. “Harry, are you crying?”

At that, all the tears he had held back slipped out and Harry was a sobbing mess in a minute. The bad thing about it was that with all the snot and tears on his face and red eyes and cheek, he probably looked like a mess. The good thing about it was that seeing Harry break out into tears, Louis pulled him into his arms as he ran his hand through his hair.

Harry would rather focus on the good thing rather than the film playing on screen, he decided.

Louis’s chest was cold and hard, unlike what he was used to. But it also felt safe when he was in his arms. And Louis seemed to be humming a tune of some sorts which he could feel the vibrations of and it soothed him. Harry closed his eyes and breathed in this feeling, never wanting to let it go. Maybe his crying did help him after all.

“The film is over now Harry,” Louis said in a soothing voice, still running his finger through Harry’s hair. It did feel nice to have someone rub his scalp, especially someone like Louis. “You can stop crying.”

“Okay.” Harry sniffed wiping at his eyes but not wanting to move away just yet. So he stayed like that, trying to hear the heart that wasn’t beating. It did feel strange, not feeling someone’s heartbeat. But he had a feeling he would get used to it anyway. It was Louis, of course he’d get used to the fact that he was no human.

“I used to do this with my little sisters, you know,” Louis said, breaking the silence of the moment. His voice was small, not quite a whisper but it was lower than his usual voice. It also had some deep feelings behind his words. Also there was nostalgia in his voice, Harry could feel it. Was that what he was so upset about? Maybe it wasn’t a lover after all; it was family. It sure did solve a few of Harry’s questions, if that was what it was.

“Yeah?”

“Hmm. They used to get nightmares and used to run to me, not mum. I used to calm them into sleep. They were so little. Just takes me back to those times.”

“Well I’m not little,” Harry said just because. Also he wanted to coax a smile out of Louis.

“You’re bloody huge. And if I were a human, you would be crushing my bones, you oaf.” There was a smile in his voice and fondness and laughter. It made Harry smile too. His eyes might be red and puffy but his heart was soaring with happiness. Weird time for that though.

“Do you want me to move?”

“No you can stay. Just... the movie is over.”

“No problem, I’ll put another one,” Harry said, reluctantly pulling himself away from Louis to put on Love Actually like had planned to before. He had an idea so he then jogged on to his bedroom to bring a blanket with him and switched off the lights. Louis was waiting for him, looking at the door curiously but chuckled when he saw Harry bring a blanket along with him. Harry threw the blanket over them and cuddled into Louis’s side. He knew it was too soon and Harry was afraid Louis would push him away or something. After all, he didn’t need to be soothed anymore. But Louis just pulled him closer as they watched the movie. It was nice and familiar and Harry hadn’t felt this happy since a long time.

Actually he wasn’t ever this happy on a date. And this was not a date.

But it was hard to remember that when this felt like a date.

Harry couldn’t help but sneak glances at Louis as he watched the film. The flickering lights cast a pearly glow on him. He tried to be subtle at first but after having being caught twice, Harry threw all pretences of being sneaky out the window. He stared at Louis unabashed and saw a shy smile bloom on his face. It was hard to forget he wasn’t human, really.

Harry spent his time observing every little detail. He didn’t deny being creepy about it. His gaze travelled to his eyes time and again. Louis’s eyes were sparkling. Harry had expected the skin beneath his eyes to be purplish due to lack of sleep but it was not. It was a little darker but not like he had read vampires to have. At the time he had thought those stories were figments of the author’s imagination but what if they were not. What if they too had met with a real life vampires? Surely Louis wouldn’t be the only one right? Actually, it didn’t matter. What mattered was watching Louis.

Louis looked like a jittery person last night, someone who looked for a chance to flee. And Harry was afraid he might. He was afraid that if he pressured Louis too much Louis would refuse and never return. Right now though it seemed like Louis was warming up to him, giving him a chance. He would most probably stay. Harry wouldn’t even have to convince him. He wanted to say it, really, but he was afraid of ruining this precious moment. So he stayed silent and continued half-watching the film and half-watching Louis’s animated expressions.

Harry didn’t want the night to end so tried to keep himself awake. But despite Louis’s constant chatter, the warmth of the blanket managed to lull him into a daze. He was aware that the film was ending and he kept pinching himself constantly. But his thoughts were running away and he was fading in and out of consciousness. Sleep seemed tempting but his will wasn’t that weak.

“Harry?” Harry was aware that Louis was watching him with an amused tilt to his lips. But he couldn’t make himself respond to it. He was too sleepy for words. “Harry, love, go to bed. Don’t you have work tomorrow?”

Distantly he remembered that work was there after all. He had to reach at the bakery by seven and the alarm on his phone was already set two days back. He was the kind of person to do that. Barbara had thankfully given him the day off to relax. Thank god for her he had gotten time to spend with Louis. But from tomorrow it was back to work and school. He should be getting to bed if he had to wake up on time. But then, staying beside Louis felt like a good idea.

“Harry?”

“I don’t want to go.”

He could hear Louis chuckle at Harry’s antics but his eyes were near shut so he couldn’t see it. “Don’t be so stubborn.” Harry didn’t respond. “I’ll carry you.”

Harry didn’t want to sleep. Not now. He wanted to spend time with Louis. That was what he was meaning to say. Instead something else came out. “Don’t wanna go. If I sleep, the night would end and so would our time together. You would leave then.”

There was silence again, and not the peaceful kind. Harry squinted his eyes open, trying to make out Louis’s face in the light from the television. He really regretted switching off the lights as he came back. He could see the outline of Louis’s face in the dark, eyebrows drawn together and he looked as if in deep thought. It was quiet for all of two minutes and Harry’s sleep was nearly slipping away in the wake of his fear. This was the moment where Louis would say ‘have a nice life’ and leave. Right?

“Would you stay?” Harry asked, his desperation seeping in his tone. He could see the light reflecting in Louis’s eyes and Harry was already busy memorising his face if this were a goodbye. “Please?”

Louis slowly gave him a soft, small smile which shined in the semi dark. “Yes Harry. I’ll stay.”

There was promise in his voice and certainty shining through. This was all that Harry had wanted to hear. “I’m glad.”

“Now can I carry you?”

Harry smiled but didn’t say a word. He just nodded and felt himself being lifted up. It had been a long time since someone had picked him up. Long time meant years and years back. When he was a kid. That was the time he was small enough to be picked. He really loved that Louis was strong enough to pick him. It was useful information there.

Harry wrapped his arms around Louis’s neck and leaned up to give him a peck on the lips. “I’ll never let you go.”

He wondered how he got the bravery to do that. He blamed it on his sleep induced brain. Louis laughed and shook his head. “I’m never letting you go as well, Harry.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is another sequel to this. I don't know when I'll post it but it probably might be on harry's birthday haha. No promises sorry.  
> Hope you liked this :)

**Author's Note:**

> I'm on [twitter](https://twitter.com/rainbowslovehl) come and say hi (oops!)  
> Kudos and comments are much appreciated. I hope you liked it :)  
> There's [tumblr post](http://rainbowsandlovehl.tumblr.com/post/166946413023/ill-make-this-feel-like-home-rainbowsandlove) too!


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